ShimnaInteBlog

Gideons Visit Goes International

2009-10-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

The Gideons Society came on their annual visit to our year 8 students, to talk about the Bible and to present a copy of the New Testament to all those students who wanted to have one. The Integrated And Religious Studies department is inspired now to have an International Testament day, when we present Testaments to our students with other languages. In this year's first year we have represented: French; Spanish; Icelandic; German; Chinese; Irish. One students is getting a Hebrew/English Tanakh.

Visitors from Madrid

2009-10-17T06:20:00.001-07:00

Shimna students hosted Spanish students from Madrid. The visitors were a very friendly and energetic lot, who through themselves into every opportunity to improve their English. There teacher was in fact Miguel's teacher from his own school days in Madrid, and I hope somebody took the time to get the gossip on him! The group also went walking in our beautiful area and headed up to the Giant's Causeway to see the sights. Our students will have their opportunity to head back to Spain later in the year.

Return of Vader Rijn

2009-10-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

Students from New Dutch communities in Holland again to visit us. The students' backgrounds include Morocco, Somalia and Turkey, and their faith background is Muslim. Meeting them is a great opportunity for our students, as well as a great treat as we were again invited back to the Kinderhaus for delicious Islamic dinner. Long may the link continue.

800 Languages to Practise

2009-09-26T12:07:00.000-07:00

users.elite.net/runner/jennifers/hello.htm Follow this link to be able to say lots of things in 800 languages. Get chatting.

European Day of Languages

2009-09-25T14:53:00.000-07:00

European Day of Languages was a terrific success, with a busy, busy, busy international soccer tournament on the pitch and a busy, busy, busy table quiz in the hall. As usual with me and sport, I forgot to ask who won!!! The final assembly was a riot of different languages, and prizes and the displays of student work were fabulous. A really, really good day. The whole event was organised by Clare Murphy, assisted on the day by the 6th form languages committee and our two intrepid reporters, Aaron and Charlene. The videos and photos of the events will form the first swap of student work with our Chilean partners. Well done everyone.

Sympathy with Bunscoil Bheanna Boirche

2009-09-06T16:29:00.000-07:00

We were horrified to hear of the fire damage to our partner school Bunscoil Bheanna Boirche. We are pleased to hear that they have been offered nearby accommodation and with everyone's support, the school has opened as usual on the first day of term. We were delighted earlier in the year to hear that the new school building had been approved. Roll on the day!

Gay Pride

2009-08-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

Good to see a contingent of Shimna students celebrating along with the march in Belfast on Saturday and the Pride church service the next day.

Languages for Sunshine

2009-06-29T11:19:00.000-07:00

if you are heading off to Europe on holiday, click on one of the links below to teach yourself the basics for your destination!

French:
Spanish:
Italian:
Portuguese:
Greek:

Welcome Soria

2009-06-26T13:47:00.001-07:00

Welcome to students and staff from our partner school the Antonio Machado school in Soria, Spain. The students and staff have spent the week with us, visiting classes, joining our history department on their trip to the Boyne Valley, heading up with our own A level students to the Giant's Causeway and making the most of Newcastle in the sun. Our students have benefited hugely from their trip to Spain and we hope our Spanish visitors enjoyed their experience of Newcastle just as much.

CASE Certificate Presentations

2009-06-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

Sara Love of PSNI came in to a special assembly on Thursday to present all year 9 students with their CASE programme certificates. Sara has been working with all our year 9 classes on aspects of social responsibility, policing and community development. Well done to everyone and huge thanks to Sara for her commitment to the programme.

Off to Zambia

2009-06-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

As part of the South Down Youth Mission, David Cox of our Upper 6th will be spending his Summer in Zambia. Not really the normal destination 18 year olds, but then whilst other people may be sunning themselves on a beach in Spain, David has signed i[ fpr ZambiaDavid has been working away raising money for the project. He and 6th form assistants washed our staff cars on the last training day for one thing!The money raised will be used as David joins others from South Down to help the destitute people of Zambia. Projects include working in nutrition centres, orphanages, schools, construction and summer scheme activities. He is definitely booked to report back to the rest of us when he arrives home.

William's Visit

2009-06-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

William and the crew arrived, attended and filmed our year 9 assembly and took a real shine to the Sisyphus boulder, which has now made and appearance in cyberspace.

World Humanist Day

2009-06-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

21st June is World Humanist Day, and on 22nd, William Crawley of BBC is coming to film our assembly which will focus on Kevin's belief's as an existentialist. We have always encouraged our staff to use assembly to present from their own beliefs and traditions, and we probably don't do it enough.

Anna Lindh foundation

2009-06-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

Chris Skillen is just back from Beirut, where he was attending a teacher workshop entitled "The Challenges of Diversity at School in the Euro-Mediterranean Region". Teachers from Europe and both shores of the Mediterranean Sea exchanged knowledge concerning the topic of religious diversity in the Euro-Med region. the Anna Lindh Foundation, which organised the event, exists to encourage dialogue between cultures.

A Wee Bit of Irish

2009-05-18T15:34:00.000-07:00

Pick up some Irish, a wee bit at a time!

Be Globally Friendly

2009-05-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

Learn to be friendly in lots of different languages!

Swedish Mountaineering

2009-05-02T10:38:00.000-07:00

Our Swedish visitors, a group of our sixth years and Chris Keag in charge took a Saturday morning walk up to the quarry via the Glen River, and back down via the Bogie Line and Shepherd's Lodge. There then followed delicious and enormous lunch at the Mourne Cafe, and don't let anyone tell you the service is bad. All thirty of us were served very promptly, and we went for broke, with breads and oils, trying out the full selection of main courses from Thai curry to all sorts of seafood, followed by the full selection of puddings, lattes and tea. After a last dander up our beautiful promenade, our visitors collected their luggage and headed off on the bus for Dublin. They had a wonderful time, and I was very proud of Newcastle and our own wonderful students, who gave up their Saturday to make sure our visitors enjoyed their stay.

Swedish Visit

2009-05-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

Our Swedish visitors were as friendly and lovely as our Swedish visitors last year. This is a really valuable link. They arrived on Thursday, settled in to the Newcastle Youth Hostel, which they thoroughly recommend. They spend the morning on the town, then came in to visit junior classes and also to make a presentation on Sweden for our sixth form students. One element of the presentation tackled the stereoptype of Swedish men as very tall and Swedish women as necessarily blonde. Unfortunately for their argument they were standing there tall and blonde in front of us. Thanks to everyone who made them welcome. Our visitors brought us a gift of a checky cat, which you will see in the display case in our front hall. The idea is that, if you make the right choices in life, you might get to meet the checky cat!

Back from Sweden

2009-04-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

Our visitors from our twin school in Sweden arrive on Thursday evening, and will join us in school on Friday. Everyone is welcome to join us for a mountain walk on Saturday.

Welcome Melissa

2009-04-22T15:25:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Melissa, who has come to join us from the same school in Germany as Ruth from last term. The summer term will be very different for Melissa, as classes are preparing very directly for their exams. We hope that she will be able to enjoy her stay and benefit from meeting up with other year groups as well as year 13.

Kevin is Far Away

2009-03-27T15:53:00.000-07:00

Kevin touched down in Santiago, Chile, two days ago, and today was leading a session of management training for principals of Chilean schools. He will be joined next week by the principals of New-Bridge Integrated College, Erne Integrated College and fellow Specialist Languages School, Belfast High School.

We Stood Out

2009-03-12T15:19:00.000-07:00

We stood out today, Shimna students and All Children's pupils. We are all of us where we are because parents in Newcastle and round about came together to found schools which would allow children and adults to learn together within the segregated and selective education system which still covers so much of N. Ireland. We respect the views of all of our integrated communities and students had the choice to stand out. At the stand out, Joyce McMeekin introduced our silence, and it was meticulously observed. Kevin Lambe then quoted from David Irvine in saying "Lets not put barriers in front of us to stop us moving forward. Let's put barriers behind us to stop us moving back." The sun shone on us. Let's hope.

The Shock of Saturday

2009-03-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

The shock of Saturday leaked into every class today. Students were horrified and a healthy identification with the pizza deliverers seemed to signal that no one wanted to see a return to the violence students have heard of, but haven't had to live through. Students reported lots of different reactions at home, from huge sympathy for the families of the dead soldiers, to confusion as to who could have done the shooting, to fears about the recent enormous bomb in Castlewellan to fears that dissident republicans were responsible to fears that undercover security people were responsible. Some people's views annoyed other people, and we have to sustain our investment in talking and listening to each other and never, ever deciding to shoot of bomb anybody over the differences in opinion.

Claire in South Africa

2009-02-19T16:11:00.000-08:00

Remember that last year Hanan headed off to Zambia with the South Down Youth Mission. We have just had news from Claire Gould now, who is in South Africa with Youth for Christ. Read her newsletter and prayer points here.

Italian Success

2009-02-17T10:55:00.000-08:00

We are delighted to have very glowing reports from the Open University about the progress of our first students of Italian in a very long time. Current staff member, Leah McAtamney was in the last GCSE Italian class, and we all know how long ago that was! Piera and V'Cenza are studying with the OU YASS programme, which gives school age students access to university courses. They are the pioneers, and we hope to offer the course to more students next year.

DUP, OUP and the Conservative Party

2009-02-07T16:42:00.000-08:00

First thing on Friday morning Jim Wells, DUP MLA, was our first visitor. He came in to talk to our A level Travel and Tourism class about his views in support of the Mournes becoming a National Park. Then cam John Mcallister, OUP MLA, who brought with him Owen Patterson conservative MP, Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, who headed up to talk to our A level politics class. Busy, busy, Busy.

Welcome Ruth

2009-01-08T10:42:00.000-08:00

Ruth Wippermann has joined us for a term from her Steiner School in Germany. She has already settled into our sixth form enthusiastically. She has chosen her subjects so that she will have lots of opportunity to talk and listen to English. We look forward to her having a go on our German blog.

Islamic Studies

2008-12-16T14:23:00.000-08:00

It was a proud night for Islamic Studies on Monday, as Dana Jaber, our first Muslim student, returned to Shimna to present the certificates and awards to our GCSE and A level students. Among all the other awards, Dana presented GCSE certificates in Islamic Studies to the first cohort of students to achieve the qualification. She also presented the Assisi Award for Muslim/Christian understanding to Johanna Ross of the Islam class. In her day, Dana had helped trial the materials for teaching GCSE Islamic Studies, and she continued with her studies with Chris Skillen's support when her family moved to Belfast and she transfered to Lagan College. Shimna now works with a network of schools, including BRA, Belfast Inst, Victoria College, Wallace High School, Malone Integrated College and Ulidia Integrated College. Dana's father Masoud also came along, which was great, as he continues to provide an active link for us with the Belfast Mosque.

Advent Message

2008-12-09T12:43:00.000-08:00

Rev. Gordon Graham came in to talk to our 6th form assembly for Advent. He is full of the excitement of the the US election result and the possibility of big change. As an Obama supporter, he had to be Integrated and face the fact that one of our visiting US students is also an Obama supporter, while the other is a McCain supporter. At the end of the assembly, all three set off animatedly discussing their US future. For a while, our NI politics were inspiring too! Will we ever see inspiring again?

At the Cenotaph

2008-11-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

There was almost sleet, but we were there at the Cenotaph to take part in the commemoration and to lay a wreath on behalf of Shimna. Laying the wreath were Tahnee Meihack, Gemma Crane and Shannon White. Also representing the college were Ryan McVeigh, Cade Douthwaite, Leanbh Butler Lyons, Autumn and Ellie May Jennings, Chris Addis, Emma Baker and Chloe Rice and staff members Chris Skillen (and his mother), Ellen McVea and Robbie Mulholland. After the commemoration, most of us headed over to the Methodist Church for some reviving hot chocolate, before taking part in the serivce. We were delighted to welcome back Old Scholar Natasha Mullan to give one of the readings, and Tahnee led the closing prayer in German. Chris and Emma took up the collection and the older Chris gave the sermon, and Mrs Skillen, his mother gave the gospel reading and Gemma and Shannon led a bit of the service I didn't understand because I'm not a Methodist. My integrated education still has a way to go! Afterwards, a huge volume of lunch was consumed at the Strand. Lots of other Shimna students were also at the Cenotaph representing the Scouts, the Boys' Brigade and the Girls' Brigade, and Wills McNeilly did the honours with the flag.

Contact with Local Politicians

2008-11-07T13:15:00.000-08:00

Our A level politics trip to Stormont found our local politicians very interested and helpful. John McAllister of OUP had arranged during his recent visit to Shimna to meet up with the group. Jim Wells was also very positive in his meeting with our students.

Italian and Urdu

2008-11-07T13:01:00.000-08:00

We are celebrating this week the return of Italian to Shimna. A small group of students began study with the Open University YASS. This is a scheme which allows school age students to follow units of OU undergraduate courses. The students will take up Italian from scratch, and can pursue their study through to GCSE or A level. We had also been searching for a similar course for the study of Urdu. While we haven't found a sufficiently high quality distance learning course, we have found suitable intensive courses at SOAS, which is a college of the University of London, and hope to sponsor interested students to study there.

British/Irish Sign Language

2008-11-07T12:57:00.000-08:00

We are delighted that our course in British/Irish Sign Language is underway in weekly sessions, and is being taken by support staff, teachers and students. It is a really important step to include Sign Language along with all the other languages we teach. The course we are offering can carry right through to a GCSE qualification.

This is What Really Happened

2008-10-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet came alive for Year 9 students at Shimna Integrated College this week. English literature classes were joined by visitors from the Dutch city of Utrecht, who are also studying this tale of young love doomed by parents' disapproval. The Dutch guests, mainly from Muslim families, shared their own attitudes to a role for parents in choosing life-partners. Although their parents' generation mainly had arranged marriages, these students expected to find their own husbands and wives in due course.
'Our regular links with Shimna College offer real enrichment for our students. Their English benefits greatly, and the cultural sharing between students from Vader Rijn and Shimna broadens everyone's outlook,' said Guler Demirkaya, the visiting teacher of English.
The Dutch visitors gave presentations in English about their home countries - Morrocco, Turkey, Iraqi Kurdistan and Surinam. They brought with them crocus bulbs which students planted as a joint memorial to child victims of racism and sectarianism.

Nobody Tells Me

2008-10-14T16:22:00.000-07:00

Nobody tells me how they got on at the Dutch visitors invitation night out at the Kinderhaus in Killough. But they got home suspiciously late, and had a suspiciously good time. Why do I always have a Governors' meeting when there is something good on? Thanks to the parents who helped out throughout the visit.

Welcome Back Dutch Visitors

2008-10-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

Of course our visitors are a different year group, but it is great to have our Dutch visitors again, with the rich cultural heritage they bring with them. Once again, they have contributed hugely to the experience of our Islam group. Nothing in a textbook beats actually asking the person wearing the hijab! A happy lunch out was had by all at the Strand. Back tomorrow, we hope, for another contribution to our crocus planting.

Great Start to Key Programme

2008-10-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

This year's Key Programme cohort made a terrific start at their first residential at Killowen Outdoor Centre in Rostrevor. Our triplet schools this year are De La Salle from Dundalk and Meanscoil Feirste. I know I can see the benefits in my current year 12 class in those students who took part in last year's Key. The feedback from Shimna staff member, Joan, and the Key Programme staff this week, suggest that the new group will be equally successful.

Staff Integration

2008-08-28T05:03:00.000-07:00

On 26th August, Shimna hosted a huge conference of staff from six other integrated schools and colleges. The key note speaker was long time friend of Shimna, Colm Cavanagh, founding parent of Oakgrove Integrated College. The turnout was great and the workshops provided a rare opportunity to interact with staff from across the integrated sector. We all got a 'bag for life' to boot, so our eco-pioneers in year 10 will be proud of those of us who remember to use them.

Palestine and Auschwitz

2008-08-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

You may have read in the Mourne Observer about two of our A level students, Rachel Skillen and Bronagh Magee making a presentation on Auschwitz to a group of Palestinian students in Dublin. The Palestinian students were part of a group preparing for encounters with a group of Jewish students. The Shimna girls were able to present a real insight into the significance of Auschwitz within Jewish culture following their visit to Poland in June. Their presentation forms part of the follow up work they will undertake to pass on the lessons they learnt at Auschwitz.

Celtic shirts at the Twelfth

2008-07-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

The Twelfth was in Newcastle this year, and somebody wrote to the Telegraph to say that they had seen young men in Celtic shirts out watching the parade. It's great that they want to, that they wore their Celtic shirts and that felt safe to do both. The letter writer hoped that Rangers shirt wearers would feel as safe watching a republican parade. These changes haven't happened by magic. Newcastle, as a holiday resort, has a history of welcoming all comers, but there were many years in the middle when parades of any kind were downright scary. All the people who have worked hard to get back to a shared society have won back such peace as we have, including the parents who founded Shimna. The letter made me glad that our students wear their Celtic and Rangers tops on non-uniform days.

Hitting the Press in France

2008-06-01T07:20:00.000-07:00

We have just received this cutting from the press in France about our very successful work experience exchange. It is good to see the French press take on board the significance of integration as well as the success of the trip.

Cyprus Integrates

2008-05-25T13:32:00.000-07:00

We had two very interesting visitors from Cyprus, Yiannis Georgiou, Head of English, and Karen Mason, Deputy Head. Borders are coming down in Cyprus and our visitoring teachers from a Greek Cypriot school are looking at ways to integrate the Turkish Cypriot students who are now choosing the school. They came to learn about integration from us, and we certainly learnt from the situations they shared with us. They travelled on to conference at Queens University, looking at integration in interface situations. We look forward to hearing about their progress.

International Report to BoG

2008-05-06T16:20:00.001-07:00

To round off our international work experience this year, Niamh Lindsay, Rachel Cleary and Clare Murphy reported back to our Board of Governors on two of our trips: Niamh reported on the trip to Antonio Machado College in Soria, Spain; Rachel Cleary reported on the exchange with the Lycee Amiral Ronarc'h in Brest in Brittany, France. Clare gave an account of how she and French teacher Janet Moffett have built up the relationships and arrangements which made both of these trips such a success and so important for the future.

Lessons from Auschwitz

2008-05-06T16:12:00.001-07:00

Rachel and Bronagh have returned, not to say recovered, from their day visit to Auschwitz. Bronagh has also been to the follow-up meeting, and both students have formulated plans for their portfolio, which will be accredited by the University of Hull. The two students plan: a minisite for the college website; an assembly for September to launch the 'Lessons' to our new students; lessons which they will lead with the incoming year 8s, focusing on anti-bullying and diversity as well as ensuring that our new students know what happened at Auschwitz; a display of the younger students' work, either in college or possibly in Newcastle Library. Lessons from Auschwitz offered an opportunity which was exciting and chilling all at once, and the girls hope to use their experience to make a real contribution.

Five Chile Visitors

2008-04-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

This week came the return visit from Chile. You may remember that Kevin went off on a study visit to Chile in the Autumn term, and this week the principals of the schools he visited there came to visit us at Shimna. So that the principals would have the same range of overview, our fellow Specialist Schools Grosvenor Grammar School, Belfast High School and the Model School, Belfast along with fellow Integrated school, Lagan College, all hosted a visit from the group. The principals also mysterously disappeared into Kevin's house on Tuesday to shout at the television! I wasn't invited! A climb up to Dundrum Castle and a swift constitutional along the promenade helped work up their appetite for a meal at Seasalt. Thursday sees them heading back half way across the world. An added bonus is that Sophie, our French tutor, was able to make contacts to help her find a placement for a year abroad next year as part of her languages degree at Queens.

The President Visits

2008-04-03T13:19:00.001-07:00

We had a great afternoon. The sun shone and everybody pulled together to create a lovely event. The Board of Governors did the welcoming, Ivor Anderson did the MCing, Matt McComish and Chris Law posed the questions. Clare Gould expressed our appreciation in English and Rachel Robinson in Irish. Kevin introduced the President, and the President did everything else. The Languages Committee provided the tea and buns, Valerie and Joan wore their new uniforms, Gervaise and the President remembered old times. Robbie and the President remembered old places. The rugby players from the careers event called down as did a number of our languages students. Lots of other people contributed in so many ways, and Danella managed us all. clare Murphy managed the links with the careers event and took the photos. Year 8 and 9 had the hardest job, staying patient waiting to wave. Our flower arrangements were amazing. So many people stepped in to do extra supervision, extra cleaning, extra helping each other with uniform, extra chair carrying about and dear knows what all else. There was lots of interesting discussion during the day about nationality, culture, sectarianism, respect for the views of others and the energetic challenge presented to an integrated college by a Head of State. Everyone was delighted that the President tuned in so completely to the message on our boulder. She obviously feels that she has pushed a few boulders up a few hills!

St Patrick's Week

2008-03-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

St Patrick's week has been a great and versatile success. Year 8 galumphed around their ceili, year 10 quizzed and year 9 hunted treasure. Year 13 screened Irish short films, and there were buns for sale at break in the Irish room. The buns were advertised in Irish, so monoglots got none! The third in our series of film nights featured the Irish language, all organised by the 6th form languages committee. The Poc Fada takes place on Friday, and our money's on Alicia.

and Robbie Keenan managed to turn out for the staff soccer team as well.

Against Guantanamo

2008-01-11T15:36:00.000-08:00

Shimna Students Lead the Protest Against Guantanamo

Five students, Oliver Elsholtz, Claire Gould, Daniel Quinn, Riona Mageean and Peter McEvoy, representing the Shimna Integrated College branch led the Amnesty International protest marking the sixth anniversary of US detentions at Guantanamo Bay. The Belfast protest was part of a world wide demonstration campaigning to close the US run prison camp. 1000 parliamentarians, including 33 from the Northern Ireland Assembly, have signed a petition calling on the US to shut the prison camp and to stop secret detention; this petition was presented to all members on the US congress on Friday 11th January. The Shimna students led dozens of Amnesty activists, all dressed as Guantanamo inmates in orange boiler suits and face masks, together with ‘US camp guards’ who shouted orders to the ‘detainees’ and forced them to assume stress positions used at Guantanamo Bay. Principal Kevin Lambe said, “ Our branch of Amnesty International is run by students themselves, and holds a very special place within the ethos of our college. I am very proud of the students who have played a lead role in a well organised demonstration on an issue about which they feel very strongly.”

Carols at St John's

2007-12-20T13:01:00.000-08:00

Our terms ends traditionally with our carol service at St John's Church of Ireland. The service is part of our series of events across different denominations: for example our Remembrance Day service at the Methodist Church, St Patrick's Day service in Irish at the Presbyterian Church, adult baptism at the Baptist Church and the Catholic Church visits planned for next term. This year we have a change of personnel as the Rev. Cadden, newly of Castlewellan, leads our service, with Ivor Anderson leading on behalf of the College. Readers include Danas Kurmis, who will read in Lithuanian from the testament presented to him by his form class last year, on the occasion of our annual visit from the Gideons Society.

At the Cenotaph

2007-11-11T10:49:00.000-08:00

Tamara O'Rourke, Claire Gould and Jessica Sharpe laid our wreath at the Cenotaph in Newcastle, supported by year 8 students Lucy Lakin, Sarah Louise Duffy, Emma Baker and Sinead Murray. We then all warmed up with hot chocolate and buns before joining the congregation at Newcastle Methodist Church for their Remembrance Service, led by a certain Christopher Skillen. The sermon included detail from his trip to Krakow during half term. The congregation was very welcoming and our students were able to contribute by giving the readings. Then it was off to the Strand for more sustenance in the shape of toasties, scones and ice cream. Many more of our students were in evidence in the Scouts and Boys' and Girls' Brigades, and Wills McNeilly lowered and raised the flag.

Remembrance Day Assembly

2007-11-09T13:56:00.000-08:00
Grainne Tobin presented our annual Remembrance Day assembly, ably supported by Niamh Lindsay, Helen Crane, Tanya Murray and Rachel Cleary. The girls read beautifully. Sunday, 11.11.1914 sees Jessica Sharpe and Stuart Hanna lay our wreath at the Cenotaph and take part in the Remembrance Day service at Newcastle Methodist Church, where Chris Skillen will be preaching. A Remembrance Day assembly will follow for our senior students on Monday. Our Rembrance Day efforts are mirrored by our activities for St Patrick's Day. In each case we challenge the historical appropriation of the event by one community or the other within Northern Ireland.

Krakow Trip

2007-11-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

Three of our staff are in Krakow during the Hallow E'en half term, Chris Skillen, Rose Murray and Deborah McDowell. Part of their purpose is to follow up some of the work Chris has undertaken as part of his Holocaust Foundation Fellowship. One possibility is a future trip for some of our students.

Presbyterian Harvest Celebrations

2007-10-22T14:16:00.000-07:00

Lots of us headed to Newcastle Presbyterian Church today to celebrate Harvest festival and to see the decorated church. Year 8 came along; A level Religious Studies students came too; Alex McCauley sang; Michael Rutledge sang; Chair of the Board of Governors, Billy Burnison had an early start and drove down from Belfast to join in; Wills McNeilly gave the reading; Rev. Ivan Patterson welcomed us and conducted the service. We are very grateful to him and to the congregation for welcoming us to the church. The flurry of activity we witnessed afterwards alerted us to the fact that the congregation had delayed the distribution of fruit and vegetables to local families.

St Luke

2007-10-19T12:40:00.000-07:00
We have found great opportunities for church visits this term. On Thursday, students took part in a special St Luke's Day service at St John's Church of Ireland in Newcastle. The interesting part of all our church visits is always that for some students the visit is a chance to share their own stuff with fellow students, and for some an opportunity to visit a denomination or religion different from their own. Reports from the service include students experiencing something very new to them, students showing their friends their own church and also some students finding much more in common with their own denomination than they expected. Thanks to Canon Ian Ellis as ever for sharing his church with us.

Racial Diversity in Holland

2007-10-16T16:19:00.000-07:00
A really interesting set of visitors appeared from Utrecht via Killough this week. The group of Dutch students was staying at the Kinderhaus, which had originally been set up in the depths of our troubles by Dutch people, in order to offer a secure holiday space for groups of Catholic and Protestant young people. There is an interesting irony in the change of mission which sees the Kinderhaus host mixed race groups of Dutch students, many from families who have settled in Holland from elsewhere, for example Morocco and Turkey. Chris Skillen led a workshop on artefacts from his Holocaust studies, and organised a bulb planting by Shmna and Dutch students as the beginnings of a Holocaust Memorial. It was particularly interesting for Shimna and Dutch students from Christian and Muslim backgrounds to work together on a study of Jewish experience. Turkish lessons followed, led by Shimna staff member, Christine Ozdemir, supported by our Turkish visitors and our own Kemal and Sait Can. A further interesting element was input from the Dutch group's cook, who discussed our menu with our cook, Anne Carlin, and advised the Musim students about what they could and couldn't eat. Highlight of the visit is our return invitation to Killough to join the Dutch students in an Islamic meal. The meal will be a particular treat for Shimna students who took GCSE Islamic studies last year.

A level Geography Conference

2007-10-09T10:25:00.000-07:00
We were delighted to host our now annual A level history conference, with Kilkeel High School and St Malachys, Castlewellan. first class academic presentations alerted students to current environmental issues and offered an insight into university style of learning. The conference offers one small opportunity to our A level students to work with students at other local schools beyond the integrated sector. Huge thanks to Jean Forbes for again undertaking the organisation of the day. The setting at the Slieve Donard gives our students a welcome boost, and values the effort they put into their excellent achievement in A level geography.

Integration Day

2007-08-29T14:19:00.000-07:00
We always give a staff training day over to integration at the beginning of each year, and this year we invited the team from NICIE to work with us. This particular year we begin our second year as a Specialist School, our first with the Sharing Education Project, the first of the e2s curriculum, first time on the Key Programme, first time on the Challenge Award - along with everything else we are involved in. We deeply need to tie all the intiatives in to the central purpose of integration. We also have several new staff to welcome and because an integration day throws us all into talking about ourselves, new staff have the chance to get the measure of us more quickly. We finished the day by writing ourselves a letter each committing us to personal actions towards integration, and the NICIE team will send them back to us in a couple of months. Thanks a million to the NICIE team for facilitating the day.

Integrated and Religious Blogging

2007-05-31T13:25:00.000-07:00

Today launches another new Shimna blog, this time focusing on integration itself. Have a look at the great picure of a Shimna An Dun supporter, sitting beside two Ballynahinch Rugby Club supporters, all of them watching a third code, soccer. Integrated schools all face the dilemma about whether to allow or to ban sports tops on non-uniform days. We take the view that if integration means bringing your stuff in with you, we must be able to live with other people's sporting allegiances. We have always encouraged rather than banned, and we have gained from 'learning from each other' on the sports supporting front. Our students do not all go home to areas of integrated housing, and we must all show a bit of sense about where we wear gear that might be controversial or put people at risk. Great photo!